Week 9 - Cabbage and then a reward

[Posted by Ruth]
The heat continued this week and the cabbage continued to age in the bottom of the fridge.  Time to take action.  In his book "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian" Mark Bittman had a recipe for whole bean Dal with cabbage that sounded interesting.  With a few tweaks, it turned out very well.  The walnuts add texture and 'meatiness'.  Note, this recipe made a huge quantity, most of which we will freeze for colder, winter days.  If your motive is to make dinner and not to use up vast amounts of cabbage, you may want to cut this in half.

Whole Bean Dal with Cabbage and Walnuts adapted from "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian"
8 cups cooked chickpeas (I do them in the pressure cooker - reserve the cooking water)
8 cups shredded cabbage
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T curry powder
1 T garam masala (or use a 4th T curry powder)
1 cumin
4 T butter or olive oil
3 cups roughly chopped walnuts
salt, pepper to taste.

Heat butter or olive oil in heavy pot.  Saute the onions, garlic and spices until onions are soft and spices are fragrant.  Add the cabbage, and continue to cook until the cabbage softens and takes up the spices.  You may need to add a bit more oil or butter here if the cabbage begins to stick.  Add the beans and enough of their cooking water (or stock, if using canned beans) to just cover.  Simmer, covered over low heat for about 20 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Add the chopped walnuts and simmer another 10 minutes, taste and adjust seasoning as needed.  Serve with Jasmin rice.  Suggested toppings: plain yogurt, mint, cucumber, cilantro.

Then, it was time to deal with the remaining cabbage, especially since I know we're getting more in our week 10 farm share.  I remember reading you can give it a light char on the grill and then use it in salads, slaw, etc.  Since we already had the grill up and running to grill some eggplant and summer squash, we gave it a try.  I like the result.  This will go into a lunch salad today, mixed with the other grilled vegetables.  No recipe here.  You don't need to put anything on the cabbage, just pop in on the grill and keep an eye on it.

Now, for the reward... 
With plenty of mint growing in a pot on the deck and PLENTY of heat and humidity, a mojito seemed in order.  I had one on vacation this summer with a sugar cane stick as a stirrer and my husband found sugar cane at a local market.  We just had to try it!

Mojito - makes 1
1 1/2 oz light rum
juice of 1/2 lime
2 T simple syrup (heat equal parts sugar and water until fully dissolved - will keep for a couple weeks in fridge)
10-12 mint leaves, stems removed
3 oz. seltzer
plenty of ice
garnish - 1/4 piece of lime, mint sprig and sugar cane stirrer.


Place the mint leaves and syrup in a tall glass and muddle for about 1/2 minute until the mint is really fragrant.  Add the lime juice and rum and stir.  Fill glass with ice and top off with the seltzer.  Give the 1/4 piece of lime a squeeze and drop in.  Stick the sugar cane stirrer in and garnish with a mint sprig.  Grab a straw and head for the deck.

Aaaahhhhhh!